Michael Lowry
Ceist:510 Mr. Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food her views on a recent article (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25822/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 4 July 2006
Ceisteanna (500, 501)
Michael Lowry
Ceist:511 Mr. Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when restitution will be made to farmers in the early retirement scheme as per the decisions by the EU Parliament Petitions Committee regarding Ireland’s implementation of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25823/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 510 and 511 together.
The article referred to is inaccurate. In May 2003, the Retired Farmers' Group for Justice lodged a petition with the European Parliament Committee on Petitions, alleging that Ireland had not implemented correctly the Council Regulations governing the 1994 and 2000 Schemes of Early Retirement from Farming. The Committee requested information from the European Commission. In reply, the Commission noted that the Group had raised the same issues with it previously in a direct complaint. The Commission informed the Petitions Committee that it had concluded that Ireland's arrangements implementing the Council Regulations did not infringe EU law, and that there were no grounds for intervening further.